Method for manufacturing electrodes on a semiconducting material of type II-VI or on a compound of this material

Abstract

A method for manufacturing electrodes on a semiconducting material of type II-VI or on a compound of this material. The electrodes are preferably in gold or platinum and are formed by electrochemical deposition of gold or platinum from a solution of gold or platinum chloride in pure hydrochloric acid.

1. A method for manufacturing at least one electrode on a II-VI semiconducting material or a compound of the II-VI semiconductor material, the at least one electrode being in a metal for which the work function is substantially equal to or larger than that of the II-VI semiconducting material, this method being characterized in that the at least one electrode is formed by electrochemical deposition of the metal from a solution of a metal chloride in pure hydrochloric acid, the metal chloride being a chloride of said metal, and wherein pure hydrochloric acid is the liquid which is obtained by dissolving about 37% to about 38% by weight of hydrogen chloride gas molecules in water, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a layer of the metal having a thickness of about 100 nm to about 150 nm and being capable of withstanding a peeling force larger than about 10 kg/cm 2 . 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal is gold or platinum and a gold chloride solution or a platinum chloride solution in pure hydrochloric acid is used. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein a concentration of gold chloride or platinum chloride in pure hydrochloric acid is less than 5%. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the II-VI semiconducting material or of the compound of the II-WI semiconductor material is prepared before the deposition in order to make this surface capable of fixing the metal. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the surface of the II-VI semiconducting material or of the compound of the II-WI semiconductor material is chemically etched in a solution comprising hydrochloric acid. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the metal is gold or platinum, a gold or platinum chloride solution in pure hydrochloric acid is used and a solution of bromine and hydrochloric acid is used for the chemical etching. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a solution of bromine and pure hydrochloric acid is used for the chemical etching. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the II-VI semiconducting material or the compound of the II-VI semiconducting material is rinsed in pure hydrochloric acid after chemically etching the surface of the II-VI semiconducting material or of the compound of the II-VI semiconducting material. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the II-VI semiconducting material is CdTe. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one electrode is formed on a compound of CdTe which is selected from CdZnTe, CdTe:Cl, CdTeSe:Cl, CdZnTe:Cl, CdTe:In, CdZnTe:In and CdHgTe. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the metal chloride in pure hydrochloric acid is less than 5%. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a rinse of the II-VI semiconducting material or the compound of the II-VI semiconducting material is performed in hydrochloric acid and then in water, after electrochemical deposition of the metal is completed.